One More Chance
by TheSilentTrowaBarton
Summary: three years later Azula and Ty Lee watch as the Mai that they once knew becomes nothing more then a fragile doll. As Fire Lord, Azula takes it upon herself to enlist ‘help’ from an old friend. The question is, how well will it work? Maiko songfic


Maiko-hinted

A/N: Angst. I haven't wrote enough, so here's another shot at it. This is getting me depressed. (haha) It's only been a couple of years, so everything's basically the same, and everyone is still pretty much teenagers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar. Or the song.(One more day in paradise)

One More Chance

Time had passed so slowly, and there was no stopping it. There was no speeding it up either. It was only a simple three years later. Everything had fallen through only a year ago, when the Avatar died, and the cycle was broken. Everything in the world was now amiss, and her motto, "Screw the world" had become the most horrible statement she could have ever made.

"-And that is all. The two of you may leave." Azula waved the two from behind her throne of fire where she sat so proudly and poised.

Mai and Ty Lee stood from their humbled places on the black palace tile, "You know," Ty Lee began, "If Azula wasn't the Fire Lord, our nation wouldn't be so prosperous." Ty Lee's voice was deeper, still peppy, but this time she held brilliant strength and intelligence that she could have let go. She had made her decision the day that she planned to get revenge on Azula, and chose a pedestal instead.

Mai was silent, eyes remaining open, though they screamed for desperate need of sleep. Mai had been given the same choice, to rebel, but it had been in a different form. She wasn't about to sacrifice her life for something so simple and flightily. Now as time had progressed, and the Avatar had passed, she watched the world that she had grown accustomed to crumble before her. Her heart once 'black' but strong, had become tired, weak, and frail.

"Mai, are you alright?" Ty Lee prodded her depressing friend as she happily bounced about in her pink and red Fire Nation garb Azula had blessed her with. Azula pampered Ty Lee. Always receiving nothing less then the best as her friend counted her loyalties in the highest regards, "You've been getting worse lately. Granted that you're always depressed, but something seems amiss." Ty Lee's comment had been in good nature, but all the same it struck Mai where it shouldn't have been able.

Mai turned to Ty Lee in her priceless Fire Nation assassin garb and sighed. Her mouth opened for a moment, but only a weak gasp came out. As they passed the doors, they shut behind them, and Mai collapsed to her knees , shaking violently. "This shouldn't be happening." At nineteen, she should not have been this broken.

"Mai!" Ty Lee crouched next to her, "What's going on?"

A guard passed the two, and for the first time, Mai noticed someone else other then Azula looking down on her. This time, it was a mere servant. This time, it didn't matter. Mai swallowed, "I'm going back to my quarters. I'm not feeling well." Her once raspy voice had become weak. "Don't worry."

Ty Lee's eyes locked on the floor as she watched her best friend walk away and lock up everything that she once was. Ty Lee and Azula had both watched as Mai had pretend that nothing was amiss within her life. To Mai, residing in the palace meant that everything must have been perfect. That was something her mother had sugarcoated for her as a child, and something that her heart still longed to hold onto. Mai had lost her will to fight, and her needs to make things her own. That was something her friends had both admired; now long gone.

Once upon a year gone by she saw herself give in. 

_Every time she closed her eyes she saw what could have been._

_Now nothing hurts and nothing bleeds when covers tucked in tight._

_Finally when the bottom drops, she forgets to fight._

_To fight_

Azula's expression remained unchanged, as she had been trained. She had been watching Mai slowly kill herself as time passed. Her friend was mentally decaying as she remained in the palace.

"Is something wrong?" The handsome man that sat next to Azula spoke softly. His pale silver eyes twinkled with the flames that rose before him and Azula.

She turned to him, knowing her confidence would be well respected, "Does Mai seem different to you?"

He thought for a moment and shook his head, "I suppose I wouldn't know."

Azula smiled softly at her husband, then gazed at the door with a frown, "I suppose it's just another one of her bad days."

"How could she possibly be having a bad day? She lives at the palace, and everything she could likely want is right here." He nodded proudly, still knowing that as Azula's husband, he was not the powerful voice of the Fire Nation.

"Queen Azula." One of the royal advisors bowed before the flames.

"Speak." Azula's husband spoke proudly. At any given chance, he had taken up leadership to constantly prove himself to her. She was his shining star, and everything that made his world whole. He knew that out of some amazing stroke of luck the feeling was mutual, no matter how much Azula publicly ignored it.

The man stood, "The general has returned from the North Pole."

Azula's eyes widened as she looked to her husband of two years. "We may see a change in Mai yet."

_And it's one more day in Paradise_

_One more day in paradise _

Mai walked slowly down the halls, turning from the direction of her room and heading toward the royal chambers that were no longer occupied. Azula had felt the need to build a new hall, where Fire Lords room would be created again. This was hall was that of abandon memories. As she passed through, fluttering tapestries and polished crimson pillars were disregarded as she locked her eyes on the door before her. It inched closer to her as her body became unbelievably weak and her hand rose to balance her on the red columns. Quickly looking to her right, the mirrors that she once styled her hair in when she was younger reflected the light lost from her eyes. The rings that formed made her look almost dead, something she would have laughed at three years ago. She turned from the glistening surfaces and back to the door as images flashed through her head. Images of where she had gone wrong and lost everything she had hoped for. She now had nothing to live for, no one to love and aspire towards. In the past, there had always been some form of hope, but now there was nothing.

One of the pillars, strangely off in color, helped her recall several memories from childhood to the days before everything went wrong. Her eyes failed her as the images of two small children running about the pillar became real. One was horribly shy, and the other kind and orderly. For only a moment, their laughs rang in her ears as he chased her about, finally catching her in a hug before the two giggled endlessly.

"Is it possible that everything that had happened is because of me?" The children became but a few years younger then her, now leaning against the pillar with their hands intertwined and their faces inches from one another. One remained shy, while the other had become proud and handsome. Her heart wretched as the shyer girl pushed from his embrace and rushed away into the nonexistent world that resided in her mind. The wind suddenly gusted, tossing the tapestries high enough for the sun to break through into the halls and rest on her ghostly skin. The healthy glow that she had once obtained was now lost. She gasped and pulled her hand within her sleeve as a sharp pain shot through her wrist. No longer could she view the sun, the power source for all Fire Benders, as a positive thing. Now the sun was what had taken everything from her. In the back of her mind, she realized, she had never had anything to begin with.

"I wonder, how mother is doing." Mai placed a hand on the golden handle and absorbed its cool quality with a sigh when she reached the door. Her mother, father, and TomTom remained in the city of Omashu. Her parents rejected her without reason. She had always told herself it had been a fluke, and that it was not because of her killing the young water bender girl and provoking the wrath of the Avatar. Mai had only done what Azula had asked and that was how she justified her doings. Occasionally letters would arrive from her brother, but at his young age there really was no speaking to him about what really went on. After she had responded to one of his letters, hers was returned with her father's seal on it, and their conversations had ended.

_As darkness quickly steals the light that shined within her eyes._

_She slowly swallows all her fear and soothes her mind with lies._

_Well all she wants and all she needs are reasons to survive._

_A day in which the sun will take her artificial light_

_Her light._

Ty Lee and Azula stood at the end of the hall, watching her.

"She doesn't even notice us." Ty Lee's words were boarding sobs. Her once sharp friend had lost her falcons edge that kept her alert and amazing.

Azula's hands balled into fists as she watched Mai's hands trace the wood of the door. "Mai passed a long time ago Ty Lee." Her heart, once stubborn and cocky had taken on the role of Fire Lord long ago, and as much as she would deny it she had become softer. The sympathy she felt for the girl she had destroyed ebbed away at her every day, but for her people and her children she had to remain strong. "This is how things will be from now on."

"Then there's nothing we can do?"

Azula took a deep meditative breath and exhaled, "Nothing that we can do. I have however enlisted help."

"Help?"

Azula nodded, "The best there is for our dear friend."

Ty Lee folded her hands before her mouth, "But will it work?"

Azula touched her friend's shoulder; her Fire Lord robes rustled loudly, "Come Ty Lee." She led her out of the hall. "It's better if we're gone."

_And it's one more day in Paradise_

_One more day in paradise_

_One last chance to feel all right._

_Alright_

Mai took a deep breath. It almost seemed to give her new life as she slowly shoved the door open. The golden light that struggled through the curtains illuminated her skin, returning its glow as a soft smile crept across her face. She slowly stepped into the all too familiar room where she had been forced to hide her emotions so many times, and where she had taken shelter from Azula's wrath only to find herself nearing more trouble within being there. Slowly, but eventually she had made her way over to his bed where she would sit for the longest time.

As if struck by lightening, tears began to stream down her cheeks. Her unmoved expressions deteriorated as she slumped over her own knees. She raised her black baggy sleeves to her face and sobbed violently as she curled up in the scarlet sheets. She pulled herself into a childlike ball for comfort, but found nothing. Everything that she could have had was in here. Everything that she still wanted, but had rejected was everything that she spent every day living in. It was exactly what she wanted, but one thing was missing. It would always be missing because of her mistake.

_Don't pretend to hold it in, just let it out._

_Don't pretend to hold it in just push it out._

_Don't you try to hold it in just let it out_

_Don't you try to hold it in, hold it in._

The door sighed as it was pushed further open. As she always did, she ignored it. Her fingers had clawed the sheets from their tucked in safety, and made their way into her clinging arms where she sobbed into them. As always, footsteps made their way toward the bed. Again, she would ignore them just as she did the day before.

The bed shifted slightly as someone sat on it. A hand softly grasped her shoulder and steadied her violent shaking. "It's not all that it's cracked up to be." The voice echoed thousands of memories within her.

Her sobs stopped as she slowly pulled her face from the heap of linen. Her heart begged, and hoped for the first time since she could remember as her eyes rose upward toward the person comforting her.

"Azula says, you've been slowly decaying." He watched the light fill her eyes; there was no doubting it. Her fragile hand crept toward his cautiously begging for his comfort and he carefully took it. "You look terrible. You should leave the palace."

Mai slowly lifted herself from the bed, and sat upright as she had done in the past to look him over. His ponytail sat high again, since it had grown back from their days in the Earth Kingdom, and part of his hair hung loosely over his scar for means of concealing it. It hadn't been out of shame, but out of her suggestion that it would make things more 'mysterious'. It had been her attempt to humor him as he fought his hairstyle, yet he cherished it. She felt the desperate need to release his grip, though letting go would cause her to forever fade. "The Avatar is dead." She pulled his hand to her cheek where she rested her pale face in its strength.

Zuko nodded after watching a servant close the door to his room. "Yes."

She swallowed, "In battle?"

Zuko shook his head, "No. He passed peacefully."

Mai nodded and lowered her eyes. He hadn't grown much taller, and neither had she. He looked only a few days older since Ba Sing Se, granted his hairs length, but almost nothing had changed. She on the other hand appeared as if she was suffering some horrific disease.

"He forgave you long ago… as you should forgive yourself." His heart begged him to hold her, but after her refusals in the past, he feared it would only make things more difficult.

Mai's eyes slowly met his, "Mother hasn't spoken to me for years now."

"She's worried about you. Everyone is." His thumb softly brushed her cheek.

Mai pulled her hand from his and placed hers on his forearms. She began to shake. The fear of rejection overtook her as she leaned against him. He softly looped his arms around her back and pulled her close when he was assured that it was all right.

"How is it living in the palace?"

She buried her face in his chest, "Miserable." Her words were whispers as she moved her arms around his back. Her breathing was off.

"How's your health?" He hoped questioning her would have some benefit. Only a year older then her, there wasn't much of a difference between the two of them. She had always, in the past, been the center of understanding that accepted both Azula and him. This also made her the most tragic figure in all the Fire Nation. He had known, as queen she would have held the ability to sympathize for the people while reasoning with the importance of law.

Mai sighed finally allowing herself to close her eyes as her body went limp in his embrace, "Better."

He smiled sadly at her, "I'm glad I could help."

She began to whisper as she felt herself drift to sleep. "Are you leaving?"

"…Mai, the war is over." He felt his throat twist, "There is no more war…"

"Then as the greatest general in all the military you've done an amazing job." Her arms tightened around him, "Please don't go."

_And it's one more day in Paradise_

_One more day in paradise _

_One last chance to feel alright._

Mai's eyes lifted open slowly, feeling rested. She slowly pulled the covers around her chin as she nestled closer to him under the sheets. 

"Why did you give up?" He asked.

She tightly gripped the front of his shirt; "I made a mistake years ago, not just with the water bender, but with you."

He was silent. He understood.

"Every time I close my eyes, I realize that I could have had this."

Once upon a year gone by she saw herself give in. 

_Every time she closed her eyes she saw what could have been._

"Mai." Azula approached her friend from behind. Mai heeded her words, but this time did not bow. Azula stepped closer, walking around to face her friend. Before she could ask her how she was feeling Mai had scowled at her.

"I don't have time for this Azula." Mai shoved her to the side lethargically. Her voice rasped proudly as she rejected the ruler of her nation.

Azula stood calmly for a moment before smiling, "I'm glad to see you're well again."

Mai continued to walk and met Zuko at the corner.

Ty Lee rushed up beside Azula, "What's Zuko back here for?" Ty Lee smiled when Mai began to speak to him. Her question had been answered.

Azula smiled, "Indeed. My brother is good for something." The two stood silent when Zuko quickly pulled her into his arms.

"Azula…"

"Yes?"

"What was wrong with her?" Ty Lee was shy as she asked her question.

Azula glanced over at her slightly surprised, "A year ago, my brother asked Mai for her hand, to be queen of the Fire Nation." Azula frowned at the couple, "For the life of me, I can't understand why she said no. So my brother gave me the throne and left for war."

A/N: I'm sorry that I couldn't do without the happy ending. Ok, it's slightly happy I think. (I've edited this three or four times, and I'm still not pleased. This is why I hate song fics.)


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